Urges Measures to Stop Migration of Turkish Jews

November 25, 1930

Istanbul (Nov. 24)

Djimhurriet, one of the leading newspapers of Turkey, today demands that the government take steps to prevent the exodus of Turkish Jewish citizens who are “distinguished by their creative intelligence and productive activity.” Many Jews have been leaving Turkey because of oppressive economic restrictions and because of the failure to put into effect the minority laws.

Djimhurriet points out that the government must turn its attentions to remedying the population deficiency because a population of 13,500,000 is spread over a territory one and a half times the size of France. Few public works and the unproductivity of the railroads are laid to sparsely inhabited tracts and hence the migration of the Jews should be stopped, the paper says.

The Turkish press and public leaders are now beginning to realize the need for economic development and also to consider opening the gates to immigration. Under the new Turco-Greek agreement, however, any advantages granted to Jews must necessarily also be given to Greeks.